‘The Penguin’ Showrunner Breaks Silence On Mark Strong Replacing John Turturro As Carmine Falcone

Is Mark Strong the perfect replacement?

john turturro carmine falcone mark strong the penguin the batman

Was Mark Strong the right choice to replace John Turturro? The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc speaks on why they recast Carmine Falcone.

Last night, Mark Strong made his debut in The Penguin as Carmine Falcone. Many casual fans may not have even noticed that he was replacing John Turturro, who had previously played the role in The Batman. According to showrunner Lauren LeFranc, this choice simply came down to the schedule of both of the actors.

“Initially, did we want to be able to have John come back and be Carmine Falcone? Of course,” LeFranc told Entertainment Weekly. “John’s a really talented actor and was exceptional in the film, but once we realized that his schedule wasn’t going to work out for our show, it became quickly about who has that sort of gravitas and ferociousness, that Mark Strong actually does have.”

Given how busy John Turturro is, especially with Severence officially starting production on its second season, it makes sense that Lauren LeFranc would need to recast him for The Penguin. This is especially so given how relatively small the role is for the series. Even then, it’s clear that Mark Strong brought his all to make his mark as Carmine Falcone.

How Mark Strong Adapts Carmine Falcone For The Penguin

Of course, recasting any actor comes with its challenges. John Turturro is a legendary presence, so even an actor as amazing as Mark Strong might struggle trying to match his portrayal of a character like Carmine Falcone. However, it seems the most important thing Lauren LeFranc was looking for when bringing Strong onto The Penguin was his presence, especially when it came to his interactions with his daughter Sofia Falcone, played by Cristin Milioti.

“They’re similar ages, but a little bit younger. You’d have to ask Mark, but I think he did look at the portrayal and the accent [in The Batman]. I keep using the word gravitas, but it was very important that he has a presence, certainly with Sofia, that there’s a hint of warmth, but also something very cold at his center. It felt cohesive to me in watching him. It felt to me like that is her father.”

The Penguin showed a much different side of Carmine Falcone than The Batman did. So even though the role had to be recast, both Mark Strong and John Turturro were able to give two distinct and equally legendary performances in the role. Though it’ll be interesting to see what showrunner Lauren LeFranc means when she refers to something cold being at the character’s center as the series enters its second half.

The Penguin is now streaming on HBO. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe and make sure to stay tuned to our YouTube channel for more content.

Anthony Singletary

Anthony Singletary

Anthony has always had a love for stories. An aspiring screenwriter and video editor, he takes pride in connecting fans with the latest heroic news!